Vacuum cleaner



Nov. 8, 1938.

D. M. DOW

VACUUM CLEANER Filed Feb. 25, 1956 Patented UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICEvacooiv r ::a1 sn Dewey M. Dow,

Way Electric Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application February 25,1936,

shown in section to better illustr Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and has as its object toprovide an improved rotary agitator of the type having a tubularspindle.

' One problem in connection with such an agi- 5 tator is that ofmounting the agitating elements to the spindle. The invention, indealing with this problem, provides an agitating element that isreceived in a longitudinal slot in the spindle shell and seated againstthe outer faces of the 10 edge regions of the shell defining said slot,and is held in such seating position by a securing element insertedthrough the diametrically opposite region of the shell wall. v

The invention aims to render the device as easy to manipulate aspossible. To this end, the agitating element has an extension whichprojects diametrically through the shell to a point closely adjacent theopening through which the securing element is extended, and the latterooacts with the end of such attached because of such close proximity;

The invention tened depressed region in the shell to which an agitatingelement can be mounted. It provides such flattened region in the form ofa die-formed plate, welded into a slot that has been .mllled or punchedinto the shell. I tubular stock and retains its true tubular form whenworked up in this manner, whereas if it so were-subjected to a formingoperation to impress the depressed region into its own wall, it would bedistorted so that it would be practically im- 7 possible to secure theproper running balance in the finished spindle.

The invention also the spindle in the floor tool,,and provides a novelend bearing and bearing guard assembly embodying-a ball bearing-ofrelatively inexpensive type and a detachable stub shaft which serves'thedual '40 purpose of providing the supporting connection and theagitator, and debetween the floor tool tachably securing the guard overthe end of the spindle and over the bearing. It also provides anarrangement in which the stub shaft is threaded 55 m. 2 is an end viewof the same, parts being extension and is easily deals also withproviding a iiat-- The shell is made of deals with the mounting of IToledo, Ohio, assignor Appliance Corporation,

tion;

Fig. 3 is a to the spindle; Fig. 4 is a Serial No. 65,626

fragmentary vie illustrating the drive pulley an lustrating the brushelement Fig.5isa

detail sectional view thereo .on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through one end of a vacuum cleaner floortool rotary agitator mounting and th er element; and i Fig. 7 is atransverse s tator taken on Fig. 8 is a cross section line 8-8 of Fig.4.

bottom view of a mo element; and

Fig. 1.0 is a sectional view of the brush element mounting.

spindle Nils f tube stock, preferabl red length and thence perforatedslots ll (Fig. 3)

taken on the Fig. 9 is a of the brush The agitator drical seamless iscut to the desi to provide the b and'the beater mo A drive pulley P islame drawn to form pressed inwardly to form to snugly receive l3,forming pa form trimmed opposite flange sheet, is drawn dle, and isformed w the line 1--1 rush mounting unting slots l2 fragmentary view ofthe spindle ilmountin ate the construcw of the spindle d its attachmenti; taken and portions of the ectional view of the agiof Fig.

(Fig. '1).

illustrating its end bearing e mounting of the flexible beatof the brushmounting,

difled form a modified form of ormed from cyliny steel, and

d of sheet metal, deep I I the crowned rim I4, and thence outwardly towings I! which 'rest against the spindle wall a Bristles l9 are Securedto an end web II,

together and spot with claws 21 eng SOME be detachable by slidingbetween the claws 22. 11

Fig. the back l1. are not welded a ng between them the back welded,

rue post a may be secured to form a permanent the a flange l5 which isthe spindle II. The rt oi the original the hub collar the spindle.

the

thereof. or

back longitudinally permanently secured. it clamping action oi th es aback l1 ived in the slot l I of the spinith integral lateral flanges or,outer faces of t the margins of the slot ll. nted in-the back l1.

isa.clip or centrally bent to form ght to the back l'l may f the clip inengaging relation by the edges of the slot II. This allows the operatorto employ the guard 42 as The central region of the back 11 may be ameans to hold the inner race against rotating thickened as at 23 to thewidth of wings l8, in while the stud 45 is being unthreaded topermit ofwhich case the slot II is centrally widened at 24 cleaning and greasingthe bearing.

to receive the claws 22, or the back may be re- The stub shaft 44 hasaflattened end 50 engagecessed as at 25 in Fig. 9, to receive the claws22, able in a groove 5| in the end Wall 46. A hair pin in which case theslot H may be of uniform width shaped spring 53 secured to the end wallby 8.

throughout. rivet 52, embraces and clasps the stub shaft so as In theweb 2| is a threaded opening 26. In the to support the agitator in thefloor tool 41. wall of the shell I 0, diametrically opposite the slotThe present invention includes as one of its obaround the slot H. Ashort screw 28 may then We find that maximum efliciency is obtained bybe slipped through the hole 21 and readily threadthe use of two doubleheaters disposed midway ed into the opening 26 without difliculty.between the ends of the spindle, and diametrically In a modified form oft e invention shown in opposed so as to be dynamically and staticallybalacross the space within the spindle, and the post single plane atright angles to the plane of the 20 is not employed, the screw beingthreaded diheaters, and alternately on opposite sides of the rectly intothe back IT. The preferred form is, spindle from one end thereof to theother. Their however, that shown in .Fig. 5, which has the paths ofrotation just meet each other, end to end. advantage over the other formin that it elimito completely cover the spindle from one end to natesfeeling for the threaded opening with the the other.

screw. I claim as my invention:

The flexible beater F comprises dual blocks of 1. In a vacuum cleaner, arotatable tubular soft rubber 29 integrally moulded in a metal tubespindle provided with a longitudinal slot, a deflexible. The blocks 29are provided with metal in said slot, the bristle side of said backbeing latthereto. Centrally of the plate is a depressed cnt P j c ingdiamet y a s S Spindle at 35 to form in conjunction with detachableSpindle at d ppos e de, and being accessible bearing caps 36 theaforesaid bearings for the frOm Said pp side for a m t I trunnjons onthe d of t b 30 2. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable tubular The caps 36are secured in place by bolts 37. A Spindle Provided With a longitudinal8 a 49 Two of these double heaters are employed dia- 0f Said p dadjacent the margins of said slot, metrically opposite each other onopposite sides n asecuring m nt n in id k nd other. said opposite sidefor detachment. The rotary agitator is m unt d on b l bear- 3. Inavacuumcleaner,a rotatable tubular spinings, one at each end of the spindle. Acup 33 is dle provided with alongltudinal slot, 2. demountaonly tend toscrew the stud into the race Other- 4. In a vacuum cleaner,a rotatabletubu ar spinwise, a stub shaft mlght be driven through the dle providedwith a longituddnal slot, a demount- 19 end wall 46 of the floor tool47. able brush element having a back received in A pair of dimples 48 inthe guard 42 are seated said slot, the bristle side of said back beingproin depressions 49 (Fig. 2) in the inner race, to vided with means toengage the outer face of said give a non-rotatable connection betweenguard spindle adjacent the margins of said slot, and a andinner racewhen the stud 45 is tightly in place. securing element engaging saidback and holding Lulu- El it in the slot, said element rigidlyprojecting diametrically across said spindle from the opposite sidethereof, engaging the said spindle at said opposite side, and beingaccessible from said opposite side for detachment, said securing elementcomprising a long screw extended through said opposite side 01' thespindle and having a head engaging said opposite side, its other endthreaded into said back.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable tubular spindle provided with alongitudinal slot, a demountable brush element having a back receivablein said slot, and securing means comprising a clip having at one endclaws in which the back of the brush is held, said clip projectingdiametrically across the spindle to a point adjacent the opposite sideregion of the spindle wall, and an. attaching element projected throughsaid opposite side region and detachably engaging the adjacent end ofsaid clip.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable tubular spindle provided with alongitudinal slot, 3. demountable brush element having a back receivedin said slot, and securing means comprising a clip having at one endclaws in which the back of the brush is held, and between which saidback is longitudinally slidable when removed from the spindle, forattaching or detaching the clip to or from the back, said clipprojecting diametrically across the spindle to a point adjacent theopposite side region of the spindle wall, and an attaching elementprojected through said opposite side region and detachably engaging theadjacent end of said clip.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable tubular spindle provided with alongitudinal slot, a demountable brush element having a back receivablein said slot, and securing means comprising a clip formed of a strip ofsheet metal bent back upon itself and its ends brought together to format one end spaced claws in which the back of the brush is held, saidclip projecting diametrically across the spindle to a point adjacent theopposite Search Room side region of the spindle, and an attachingelement projected through said opposite side region and detachablyengaging the adjacent end of said clip. v

8. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable tubular spindle provided with alongitudinal slot, a demountable brush element having a back received insaid slot, and securing means comprising a clip formed of a strip ofsheet metal bent back upon itself and its ends brought together to format one end spaced claws in which the back of the brush is held, and atits other end a transverse web portion that has a threaded aperture, anda screw projected through the opposite side region of the spindle andthreaded into said aperture.

9. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable tubular spindle provided in one sidewith a longitudinal slot, a demountable brush element having a backreceived in said slot, the bristle side of said back being laterallyextended to form wings that engage the outer face of the wall of saidspindle at the margins of said slot, and securing means attached to saidback and holding it in the slot, said securing means comprising a postsecured at one end to the brush back and removable therewith, said postprojecting diametrically across the spindle and its other end extendingclose to the opposite side of the spindle, and a securing elementextended through said opposite side and detachably attached to theadjacent end of the post.

10. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable tubular spindle provided with alongitudinal slot, a demountable brush element having a back receivablein said slot, and securing means attached to said back and holding it inthe slot, said means comprising a post secured at one end to the brushback and removable therewith, said post projecting diametrically acrossthe spindle and its other end extending close to the opposite side ofthe spindle, and a securing element extending through said opposite sideand detachably engaging said other end of the post.

DEWEY M. DOW.

